


The Knight of Valentines's Day

by AgentOfShip



Series: Meet-Ugly fics [2]
Category: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Anti-Ward, M/M, Meet-Cute, Meet-Ugly, Mentioned Fitzward, Ward is mentioned - Freeform, in a negative way
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-02-12
Updated: 2021-02-12
Packaged: 2021-03-12 07:27:24
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,595
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29381340
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AgentOfShip/pseuds/AgentOfShip
Summary: Hunter has been eavesdropping on what is obviously the most terrible first date in the history of dates but when he finally finds an opportunity to intervene and offer his help, the situation is not what he thought it was.Written for my series of meet-ugly prompts. About 3 or 4 chapters planned.
Relationships: Leo Fitz/Lance Hunter
Series: Meet-Ugly fics [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2151252
Comments: 10
Kudos: 19





	The Knight of Valentines's Day

**Author's Note:**

> Beta'd by the wonderful @libbyweasley :)  
> Make sure you've read all the tags ;)

"That's it, I'm going!"

"No!" Daisy hissed as she grabbed Hunter's arm before he could even stand up from his stool. "Not everyone needs saving, Lancelot!"

"He does," Hunter protested, nodding towards the two guys sitting a few meters away, obviously on a very disastrous first date.

"You're just looking for an excuse to swoop in because he's cute."

Hunter rolled his eyes. "He's had his back to me since we arrived."

"But he has nice shoulders and you can tell from his hair that he's cute," Daisy replied matter of factly.

"What, that's ridiculous...what?" Hunter interrupted himself as Daisy raised her eyebrows up to her hairline.

"So you're telling me you never hooked up with a guy cause he had nice hair?"

"No, I haven't! I mean. It might have been a contributing factor on one occasion but..."

Daisy grinned triumphantly before sipping loudly on her straw to finish her fluorescent cocktail. "We'll just call him Schrödinger's cutie until we get confirmation."

Hunter shook his head. Although he thought the Scot might like Daisy's joke as he was apparently an engineer and he said a lot of things Hunter didn't understand.

"Remind me why I agreed to go out with you tonight already."

Daisy shook her head in amusement, not all affected by his grumpiness. "Because we're both single and too hot to stay home on Valentine's Day."

Right now, being home really didn't sound so bad. The place was noisy, the music was terrible, the beer ridiculously expensive and he'd been stuck having to listen to the biggest asshole he'd ever met. How this absolute jerk managed to find himself a date and _he_ was out with his gal pal was beyond him.

"Anyway, that's not the point. I'm sure the _possibly_ cute one would be glad to have someone intervene and get him out of this horrible first date."

Daisy rolled her eyes. "You don't know that. Mean guys might be his thing."

"He just told him he _could be_ really attractive if he worked out more! Who says that to someone they agreed to go on a date with in the first place? Or to anyone really? That's just manipulative bullshit!" And really, from what Hunter could see, the possibly cute Scot was perfectly fine. Nice solid shoulders. Lovely neck too.

Daisy winced. "I know but again...might be his thing," she said, sounding less and less convinced every time she said it. Hunter had been here with Daisy for two hours and they had given up on their own conversation some time ago to listen, and comment, on the men's conversation. It was the third time she'd stopped Hunter from intervening. He'd found the jerk kind of attractive at first, in a boring clean-shaven, square jaw type of way, but the more he talked, the uglier he became. In fact, Hunter had come to the conclusion that he had the kind of face that would be greatly improved by meeting his fist at high velocity. 

First there'd been the bit about wanting to watch _proper football_. Proper football! Honestly?The idiot child of football and rugby, that was what American football was. Then there'd been the bit about Doctor Who and Schrödinger's cutie's job. Hunter understood having different interests --he'd actually always liked Star Trek better than Doctor Who-- but it was the way jerk face said it that got under Hunter's skin. It was sneaky. He wasn't openly saying the other man's interests were bad. He was pushing his own, trying to convince the Scot that they were better.

"I mean I felt bad for her but it was just a dog, she needs to get over it", jerk face said with a huff. "She spent thousands of dollars on vet bills these past few months alone, she should be relieved he's finally dead."

Daisy gasped. 

"What the... Alright, go ahead Hunter. Kick his ass, bring the cutie back!"

"Thank you!" Hunter said as he stood up but before he had the time to take more than a few steps and decide what he was actually going to say, the cute one had excused himself and was now walking towards the bathroom.

Before Daisy had the time to stop him, Hunter followed him down the corridor leading to the bathroom. If his instinct was correct, he didn't really need the bathroom as much as he needed a break and possibly a moment to think of an escape plan. The jerk didn't seem like the type to take rejection gracefully.

"Need help?" Hunter said just as the Scot was pushing the door to the toilet.

He turned around, looking both confused and a little worried and Hunter realized that maybe, given where they were at the moment, it could have sounded a little creepy.

"Uh...no. I think I'll manage on my own," he said before pushing the door to the bathroom.

Hunter followed just in time to see him go directly for the sink and open the tap to splash his face with water. Hunter couldn't help smiling when he saw his reflection in the mirror. He was cute. Proper cute, no longer Schrödinger's cute. With the biggest, bluest eyes he'd ever seen and some red in his stubble to go with his Scottish origins. Hunter was willing to bet he had freckles hidden under that blue shirt too.

"I meant with your date," Hunter said as he leaned against the wall.

The cutie, Fitz if Hunter heard correctly, turned towards him with a frown.

"I couldn't help overhearing. He sounds like a right arse. Blind date, yeah?"

"What? No, I've known him for over a year, I--"

"Oh I see how it is. It's Valentine's Day and you didn't want to be alone so you thought you'd give it a try? I've been there too but I'm telling you mate, you deserve--"

"No, no, no, we've been _together_ for over a year!"

"What?" Hunter couldn't help noticing that the thought didn't seem to bring the cutie much joy and he felt even more terrible for him. "But he barely knows what you do for a living!"

"Not it's not that, it's just that science isn't really is thing so he doesn't remember these things easily--"

"But these drones sound amazing, mate! I'm not the science type either but I'm a fireman and I can only imagine how useful they could be after an earthquake or a building collapse to find people that have been trapped. How small are they really? I heard you talk about it but couldn't see the video."

"So you eavesdrop on people but you draw the line at looking over their shoulder?"

Hunter should have probably felt embarrassed but he didn't really do embarrassed and he'd seen a glint in Fitz's eyes when he'd mentioned the drones. That poor, sweet man was desperate for a friendly ear to discuss his passions.

Hunter chuckled. "It was really interesting and your boyfriend wasn’t giving you the attention you deserved."

"I'm sorry, who are you again?" the cutie asked a little grumpily.

"Hunter, nice to meet you," Hunter said with his most charming smile as he extended his hand for the other man to shake. He gave him a suspicious look but Hunter didn't miss the way he quickly looked him up and down before finally shaking his head.

"Fitz," he replied. "And why should I listen to you?"

"You don't have to. But. My friend and I kind of heard your whole conversation and I feel like that guy--"

"Grant," Fitz provided. Ugh Grant! Even his name screamed jerk.

"--doesn't treat you right. You've got a very cool job, excellent taste in sci-fi and I think your heart's in the right place. You deserve better." Hunter wanted to add that _he_ wouldn't send him to the gym. His shoulders actually seemed perfect to lay his head on as they watched the right kind of football on his couch. But that wasn't the point. At least for now. He would undoubtedly hit on him if they met under different circumstances but he supposed Daisy hadn't been completely off the mark calling him Lancelot. He felt like it was his duty to help Fitz.

Fitz bit his lip, looking deflated as he leaned against the sink. "He's-he's not all bad, you know. It's just that he's had a complicated childhood and it made him..."

"A jerk?" Hunter finished for him.

Fitz glared at him but there was more sadness than anger there.

"We've all had bad moments. I bet you have too, yeah? But do you treat people like he does?"

Fitz looked even more confused and Hunter felt bad. He'd followed him to offer his help to get him out of a terrible date, he hadn't planned on convincing a stranger to get out of a toxic relationship. The bathroom of a bar didn't sound like the right place to do that but it wasn't like he could walk away now. He barely knew Fitz but after listening to him for the better part of two hours, he thought he was sweet and, again, no one deserved that anyway.

"I'm making him better," Fitz said weakly.

"But does he make _you_ happy?"

Fitz bit his lip and sighed and that was all the answer Hunter needed.

"Listen," Hunter said, taking a step closer. "I just... I would fight you over Man U until my dying day but you sound interesting and I'd love to hear more about those drones and Daisy could tell you how I snorted at your engineering joke. You're funny. And I thought you deserved to hear it. You deserve someone saying something nice to you tonight. And... every other night really."

Fitz smiled, his cheeks getting adorably pink but there was a little sadness in his eyes too.

"Thank you. It's...thank you."

"I mean it," Hunter said with a tilt of his head. Smiling really suited him and jerk face didn't deserve that much cuteness directed at him. Not that he thought that happened a lot with the way he treated him. "Well, sorry for being weird. I'll leave you now but I'll be at the bar with my friend for a little longer if you want to talk some more or--"

"Hear more nice things about myself?"

Hunter chuckled. "I can do that. Although you have to know I would never say a single nice thing about Man U."

Fitz shook his head. "Liverpool, yeah?"

"Born and bred."

"Too bad, you seemed like a nice person. Although I still can't say for sure if it was sweet or creepy that you remembered everything I said for the past hour," Fitz said with a cheeky grin.

"That was bloody sweet and you know it."

Fitz laughed.

"Thank you for the talk, Hunter," he said after a moment, his arm brushing Hunter's as he walked past him and out of the bathroom.

Hunter followed a few minutes later after having used the loo but the smile that had been adorning his face vanished as he saw Fitz walk out the door with jerkface.

"So... how did it go?" Daisy asked with a wince as Hunter flopped on his stool.

"They've been together a year."

"What? But he didn't even know what--"

"I know!" Hunter cried out. "Thought I'd given him something to think about at least but..."

"Yeah..." Daisy trailed off as she slid his beer back towards him. "I was right though, he looks really cute from the front too."

"I know!" Hunter took a sip of his beer before letting out a big sigh. It was silly really because he'd barely exchanged a few words with him but there was just something about Fitz that tugged at his heartstring, something that made him want to know the stories hidden behind his soft and sad eyes. Meanwhile, the jerk's smile just sent a chill down his spine, and not the good kind. He hated seeing them leave together.

"Come on, we'll find you another cutie," Daisy said as she patted his back.

"Not in the mood anymore, Daisy," he grumbled.

"Awwwww, look at you getting a crush on a complete stranger."

"Shut up!"

"Fine grumpy. No more cutie for you tonight, now help me get that barman's number."

* * *

An hour later, Daisy had the bartender's number, all his attention and, if the look in his eyes was anything to go by, his undying love. Hunter, on the other hand, was mostly bored and considering going home. He could get pizza on his way home and catch up on a show or two so at least something good came out of this evening. Maybe give Doctor Who another try. Fitz was really convincing.

"Hey Dais, I think I'm gonna go," Hunter said, rolling his eyes as he watched his friend flirt shamelessly with the barman and ignore him completely. "Not that you care, busy as you are showing off as much cleavage as possible while trying to make it look like it's not on purpose."

"What?" Daisy said, finally turning towards him, her eyes following a few seconds later. Hunter shook his head. He had to admit the bartender, Trip, was attractive but he couldn't help being a little jealous of his friend's attention.

"I'm bored and I'm going home," Hunter repeated as he slid off his stool. Daisy looked like she was about to protest for a second but then her expression changed and her lips pulled up into a wide smile.

"No, you're not."

"It's not like you're going to miss me, you look like--"

"Hi again."

The voice was low and a little hesitant but the accent was recognizable. Daisy waggled her eyebrows at him just as Hunter was turning around.

"Hi," Hunter replied as he found himself much closer to Fitz than he expected to.

"Did you really mean it about my engineering joke?"

Hunter chuckled as he leaned back against the bar. "I did."

"Can't you really be convinced about Liverpool?"

"I can't but I'm willing to hear you try over one of those ridiculously expensive beers."

Fitz beamed at him and Hunter thought that he would do anything to have that smile directed at him more often. "Sounds like a plan."

Hunter ignored Daisy's ridiculous eyebrow waggle as he turned around to order more beer but he still discreetly low-fived her under the bar.

"So Fitz, want to talk about that boyfriend of yours?"

Fitz scrunched up his nose before shaking his head. "Not much to say right now other than it's in the past." Hunter internally cheered at that. "But there's one thing I'd like to ask you though."

Hunter leaned forward slightly. "Anything."

"How can someone that seems like a smart, reasonable adult male possibly support a team who recruited someone as useless as Van Dijk?"

Hunter squinted his eyes at him and Fitz gave him a mischievous grin. He had to fight the impulse to kiss it off his lips, especially since he thought Fitz would be perfectly fine with that, given the way he'd moved another step forward. But that would be a bad idea. Hunter didn't have any intention to be the rebound guy. Fitz might try to play it cool but a one year relationship wasn't nothing. At the moment, Fitz needed a friend more than anything and Hunter had a feeling that he would be worth the wait.

"Well, Fitz, I think you might want to order another beer right now cause this is going to take a while."


End file.
